E-vaping device cartridge with internal conductive element

Abstract

A cartridge for an e-vaping device includes a conductive element extending through an interior of a dispensing interface to which a heating element is coupled. The conductive element may have a greater temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity than the heating element. The dispensing interface may include a fibrous wicking material, and the conductive element may be woven through an interior of the fibrous wicking material. A temperature of the dispensing interface may be determined based on monitoring an electrical resistance of the conductive element. An amount of pre-vapor formulation may be determined based on an electrical resistance of the bridge electrical circuit to an electrical signal between the heating element and the conductive element through the dispensing interface.

We claim: 
     
       1. A cartridge for an e-vaping device, comprising:
 a reservoir configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation; 
 a dispensing interface configured to draw the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir; 
 a heating element coupled to the dispensing interface, the heating element configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation drawn into the dispensing interface, the heating element extending along an outer surface of the dispensing interface; and 
 a conductive element extending through an interior of the dispensing interface. 
 
     
     
       2. The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive element at least partially extends along a central longitudinal axis of the dispensing interface. 
     
     
       3. The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein
 the dispensing interface includes a fibrous wicking material; and 
 the conductive element is woven through an interior of the fibrous wicking material. 
 
     
     
       4. The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element includes a heater coil wire at least partially extending around the outer surface of the dispensing interface. 
     
     
       5. The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein
 the heating element has a first temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity; 
 the conductive element has a second temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity; and 
 the second temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity is greater than the first temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity. 
 
     
     
       6. The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing interface is configured to establish a bridge electrical circuit between the heating element and the conductive element when an amount of pre-vapor formulation drawn into the dispensing interface is greater than or equal to a threshold amount. 
     
     
       7. The cartridge of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a sensor wire coupled to the dispensing interface separately from the conductive element and the heating element, the sensor wire being configured to carry an electrical signal propagating through the bridge electrical circuit. 
 
     
     
       8. An e-vaping device, comprising:
 a cartridge, the cartridge including,
 a reservoir configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation; 
 a dispensing interface configured to draw the pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir; 
 a heating element coupled to the dispensing interface, the heating element configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation drawn into the dispensing interface, the heating element extending along an outer surface of the dispensing interface; and 
 a conductive element extending through an interior of the dispensing interface; and 
 
 a power supply configured to selectively supply electrical power to the heating element. 
 
     
     
       9. The e-vaping device of  claim 8 , wherein,
 the heating element has a first temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity; 
 the conductive element has a second temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity; and 
 the second temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity is greater than the first temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity. 
 
     
     
       10. The e-vaping device of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 control circuitry configured to,
 determine an electrical resistance of the conductive element; 
 determine a temperature of the dispensing interface based on the electrical resistance of the conductive element; and 
 control the electrical power supplied to the heating element based on the temperature of the dispensing interface. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The e-vaping device of  claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the electrical power supplied to the heating element to maintain the temperature of the dispensing interface below a threshold temperature. 
     
     
       12. The e-vaping device of  claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to detect changes in the electrical resistance of the conductive element, the changes having a magnitude of at least one milliohm. 
     
     
       13. The e-vaping device of  claim 8 , wherein,
 the dispensing interface is configured to establish a bridge electrical circuit between the heating element and the conductive element when an amount of pre-vapor formulation drawn into the dispensing interface is greater than or equal to a threshold amount. 
 
     
     
       14. The e-vaping device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 control circuitry configured to,
 receive a bridge electrical signal, the bridge electrical signal being transmitted between the heating element and the conductive element through the bridge electrical circuit; 
 determine an electrical resistance of the bridge electrical circuit based on the bridge electrical signal; and 
 determine an amount of pre-vapor formulation in the cartridge based on the determined electrical resistance of the bridge electrical circuit. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The e-vaping device of  claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to,
 transmit an initial electrical signal through at least a portion of at least one of the conductive element and the heating element; and 
 determine the amount of pre-vapor formulation in the cartridge based on both the initial electrical signal and the bridge electrical signal. 
 
     
     
       16. The e-vaping device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a sensor wire coupled to the dispensing interface separately from the conductive element and the heating element, the sensor wire being configured to carry the bridge electrical signal; and 
 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the bridge electrical signal through the sensor wire. 
 
     
     
       17. The e-vaping device of  claim 8 , wherein the power supply includes a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
       18. The e-vaping device of  claim 8 , wherein the cartridge and the power supply are configured to be removably connected to each other. 
     
     
       19. A method, comprising:
 coupling a dispensing interface to a reservoir to configure the dispensing interface to draw a pre-vapor formulation from the reservoir; 
 coupling a heating element to the dispensing interface such that,
 the heating element extends along an outer surface of the dispensing interface, and 
 the heating element is operable to heat the pre-vapor formulation drawn into the dispensing interface; and 
 
 configuring a conductive element to be within an interior of the dispensing interface such that the conductive element is configured to receive heat from the heating element through the interior of the dispensing interface. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein,
 the heating element has a first temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity; 
 the conductive element has a second temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity; and 
 the second temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity is greater than the first temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 electrically coupling control circuitry to at least the conductive element, the control circuitry configured to,
 determine an electrical resistance of the conductive element; 
 determine a temperature of the dispensing interface based on the electrical resistance of the conductive element; and 
 control electrical power supplied to the heating element based on the temperature of the dispensing interface. 
 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 electrically coupling control circuitry to at least the conductive element, the control circuitry configured to determine whether an amount of pre-vapor formulation in the reservoir is greater than or equal to a threshold amount of pre-vapor formulation based on whether an electrical resistance of a bridge electrical circuit between the heating element and the conductive element is less than a threshold amount of electrical resistance. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 configuring the conductive element to be within the interior of the dispensing interface such that the conductive element is configured to only receive heat from the heating element through the interior of the dispensing interface.